Adjusting SME 3009 MKII arm rest

[pbroido]

I hope this is in the right section if not please can it be moved..... it was a toss up between Analogue Art and Past Masters
Right let me see if I can explain this without making it sound more complicated than it is. Terms in bold are from the SME 3009 manual

I have a Thorems 125 MK1 with a SME 3009 MKII. My current set-up is fine except when the control lever is up the way rod bumps into the control lever when the arm is in a position about half way across the platter and beyond. This gives me two problems
1) I cant select a track by simply pushing the arm across then lowering the control lever for tracks past half way in the platter
2) After listening to one side of an LP I cant simply lift the control lever as the way rod is in the way.

I am thinking the the problem is with the resting positioning of the of the arm and I was wondering how I may rotate the entire arm rest so the arm sits closer to the platter without messing too much with the arm setup.

Hope this makes sense I'll add pics if needed.

Peter

[struth]

some pics may help:)

[struth]

After looking at mine I would at a guess say the wrong control arm or wrong way rod is fitted or very mal fitted

[pbroido]

Pics in the morning when there is a bit of light and no nasty flash

[Barry]

The position of the arm rest can be rotated relative to the arm pivot, but is normally set by SME so what you describe doesn't happen. Perhaps yours has been tampered with (did you buy it new?)? Or it is an unfortunate combination of weigh rod positioning for VTF adjustment and lateral balance.

Is your SME3009 the 'Improved' version?

[pbroido]

I was given the arm and turntable, it was part of a deceased estate so unfortunately the original owner (from new) is not around to comment. I did have it serviced locally so will go back to them too but was hoping to get some in site here.
Its the not the "Improved" version.

Peter

[struth]

It should sit pretty much like this Peter although this is an improved

http://www.analogue-classics.com/assets/images/sme006.jpg


a non improved is like this

http://www.analogue-classics.com/assets/images/sme001.jpg

[Barry]

Was the arm fitted to the deck by you? When you had the arm checked out, did you separate the arm from the sliding bedplate?

Some photos would be helpful, but it sounds as if the position of the arm/lowering assembly relative to the sliding bedplate needs adjusting: its the same socket screw used when adjusting the arm height.

[struth]

I think lol


I have seen ones that have had the wrong arm lift control arm fitted and the angle is different

[pbroido]

The arm was already on deck so no change there. I don't believe the arm was separated from the bedplate. I will check but they are not the most responsive - although do get back to me (I think there TT guy is only in some days)
I was thinking it was probably screw to loosen and rotate the whole arm/lowering assembly. Was hoping it was not the one to adjust height :)
Pics in the morning I promise..... off to bed.

[PaulStewart]

Peter,

Where abouts in London are you based? I'm in Richmond, if you are not too far, perhaps I could have a look at it for you.

[pbroido]

Hi here are some pics. Excuse the delay there was a slight learning curve on the images and posting them. Pics are all clickable for enlarged view and for full size click on them again.

So here is a pic of the control lever making contact with the way rod

http://s19.postimg.org/izy09dfj3/SMe_3009_contact_contol_lever_and_way_rod.jpg (http://postimg.org/image/izy09dfj3/)

here is a pic of the arm from a profile view with the suspected socket screw to loosen and rotate the arm/lowering assembly as Barry suggested

http://s19.postimg.org/42pj8d2an/SME_3009_resting_position_profile.jpg (http://postimg.org/image/42pj8d2an/)

here is a pic of the arm in its resting position and what should happen if I rotate the arm/lowering assembly.

http://s19.postimg.org/6viqse2n3/SME_3009_resting_position.jpg (http://postimg.org/image/6viqse2n3/)


After all this I guess what I'm asking is how do I rotate the arm/lowering assembly so the headshell sits closer to the platter in the resting position so that the way rod does not bump into the control lever :)

[pbroido]

Peter,

Where abouts in London are you based? I'm in Richmond, if you are not too far, perhaps I could have a look at it for you.

Hi

I'm in North London (Muswell Hill) I guess we could not be further apart and still be in London :) Thanks for offer. Hopefully we will get this sorted though or its off to the guys that serviced it - I'm a bit pissed off they did not pick this up.

[Barry]

The socket screw you have indicated in the second photograph is the one you need to adjust. Loosen it, and rotate (clockwise) the entire arm assembly so that the lowering device can be used at the start of the record, yet the arm can transverse the full radius of the record. Re-tighten the screw with the Allen key.

After you have done this, make sure the arm is exactly parallel to the record surface when viewed from the side (as in your second photo) when the record is being played, as the arm height may have changed when you loosened the socket screw.



[I'm in London at the moment and would volunteer to come and help you out, but I have to back in Essex this evening, so unfortunately don't have the time.]

[pbroido]

Thanks Barry,

I think I'll be ok, I got a key for that screw as I played around with getting the height right after transporting the deck (from South Africa - but that's another story :))
Ill get to it later and let you know how it went.

Thanks to everyone.

[pbroido]

All sorted. Thank you. Was a bit of a fiddle getting the height back to what it was set at but with the help of a vernier calliper that I never get to use :) its about back to where it was.
I was able to loosen the screw, the arm dropped, swivelled the arm rest around, tested the clearance of the control lever in the up position and the way rod when the stylus was at the end of a LP, locked the arm rest in position and lifted the entire unit.

All looks good - Many thanks

Peter

[Barry]

Well done! :)